With health culture at the peak of its powers, some readers may find it interesting that studies show that having a pet companion can better your health and overall wellness, thus positively impacting your longevity. Millions of people feel that dogs positively impact their lives, as indicated below (via here), with search interest growing.
In this piece, we shall explore some reasons why owning a pup can improve life expectancy.
1. Makes You Responsible
To some people, owning a dog is seen as a sign of comfort or luxury. To add to that, taking care of a dog gives you a sense of purpose, achievement, and responsibility. Your furry friend can give you a reason to wake up every morning and face life challenges head-on. For instance, if you have a chronic disease, it can tear you down and give you a sense of meaninglessness to life. Owning a pet can help you overcome such feelings and help you to feel worthy and needed. Research has shown that pets like a dog can keep one from having suicidal thoughts.
Just the thought of knowing that there is a pup waiting for you to take care of can be reason enough to keep fighting for a lengthier lifespan. This is even if you have a terminal illness, permanent disability, or long-term injury.
2. Improves Mental Health
Life is full of highs and lows. The negative tides and pressures we encounter in life are a major source of stress, anxiety, and depression. This is especially for people who stay alone or lack moral and emotional support from peers and companions.
Owning a dog can give you the much-needed companionship to avoid loneliness in life, especially if you live alone. Scientific studies have proven that owning a dog has tremendous mental benefits too. Dogs encourage playfulness; reduce depression and stress, which is among the reasons why they are said to enhance longevity to the owner’s life. Playing and running around with your dog gives you a chance to relax and calm your mind as you move around. They help you to stay active, which brings us to the next important point.
3. Improves Physical Activity
As earlier mentioned, owning a dog can have innumerable benefits to your health. To start with, a dog is not for the lazy folks. When you have a dog, walking must be one of your hobbies. If you have to own one, you must be ready to do regular walking and playing. This means that owning a pooch friend prevents you from a sedentary lifestyle to a significant extent.
Regular dog-walking can help in reducing blood pressure and cutting down cholesterol levels. It can also help you shed a significant amount of calories over time. This enhances your fitness levels and helps keep lifestyle diseases like obesity at bay. Dog ownership also reduces extended sitting hours. You must get out of bed even when you don’t feel like tending to it. As the owner, you must keep your pooch fed, give clean water, and keep their resting zone clean. Man’s best friend will help make you more active, which is one of the main secrets to long life.
4. Exposure to Fresh Air
Owning a dog helps you to spend more time outdoors. Research has shown that people who own dogs walk more. The more you walk, the more fresh air you are exposed to. Getting some fresh breeze of air regularly, helps you feel good. Spending time outside with your furry pal will do wonders for your mood, creativity, and energy levels too. Fresh air energizes and boosts vitality levels.
The four-legged friend could easily make you an adrenaline junkie, especially if you start taking up adventures such as hiking and camping together. In the process, you will have explored the outdoors and even made friends while at it, which is where socialization comes in.
5. Enhances Socialization
Needless to reiterate, a dog is always a great companion. Owning one promotes social connections and keeps you less withdrawn. Walking a dog alone creates a conversation with people you hardly know. As you take strolls around the neighborhood or public places such as the park with your dog, you can easily meet a new best friend, potential soul mate, or future business associate.
It reduces social isolation and loneliness. The dog tends to improve your interaction and social skills with others, especially the vulnerable older people in society or those with autism and mental illness. Having a social life keeps you mentally and emotionally healthy, both of which can help increase life expectancy.
6. Promotes Bonding in Relationship
Nothing promotes the bond in a relationship than having common interests, sharing tasks, or having fun moments together. As a couple, the innocent furry pal can bring the two of you closer together with a pet in your home. This is as you share tasks such as cleaning after him, walking, grooming, and feeding him. It gets even more fun if you undertake outdoor activities together as a family with your pooch riding along. When your relationship is satisfying and fulfilling between you and those you love, stress is minimized and happiness maximized. Affection, support, and love from those closest to you can undoubtedly help extend your life expectancy.
At this point, the icing is on the cake. Owning a canine friend can help improve your health and overall well-being from the inside out. The above are just a few compelling reasons why your lifespan can be extended by owning a pooch.
